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Purpose Anaemia is common in patients presenting with aneurysmal subarachnoid (aSAH) and intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). In surgical patients, anaemia was identified as an idenpendent risk factor for postoperative mortality, prolonged hospital length of stay (LOS) and increased risk of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. This multicentre cohort observation study describes the incidence and effects of preoperative anaemia in this critical patient collective for a 10-year period. Methods This multicentre observational study included adult in-hospital surgical patients diagnosed with aSAH or ICH of 21 German hospitals (discharged from 1 January 2010 to 30 September 2020). Descriptive, univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the incidence and association of preoperative anaemia with RBC transfusion, in-hospital mortality and postoperative complications in patients with aSAH and ICH. Results A total of n = 9081 patients were analysed (aSAH n = 5008; ICH n = 4073). Preoperative anaemia was present at 28.3% in aSAH and 40.9% in ICH. RBC transfusion rates were 29.9% in aSAH and 29.3% in ICH. Multivariate analysis revealed that preoperative anaemia is associated with a higher risk for RBC transfusion (OR = 3.25 in aSAH, OR = 4.16 in ICH, p < 0.001), for in-hospital mortality (OR = 1.48 in aSAH, OR = 1.53 in ICH, p < 0.001) and for several postoperative complications. Conclusions Preoperative anaemia is associated with increased RBC transfusion rates, in-hospital mortality and postoperative complications in patients with aSAH and ICH. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02147795, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02147795

Background Blood transfusions are common medical procedures and every age group requires detailed insights and treatment bundles. The aim of this study was to examine the association of anaemia, co-morbidities, complications, in-hospital mortality, and transfusion according to age groups to identify patient groups who are particularly at risk when undergoing surgery. Methods Data from 21 Hospitals of the Patient Blood Management Network Registry were analysed. Patients were divided into age subgroups. The incidence of preoperative anaemia, co-morbidities, surgical disciplines, hospital length of stay, complications, in-hospital mortality rate, and transfusions were analysed by descriptive and multivariate regression analysis. Results A total of 1 117 919 patients aged 18–108 years were included. With increasing age, the number of co-morbidities and incidence of preoperative anaemia increased. Complications, hospital length of stay, and in-hospital mortality increased with age and were higher in patients with preoperative anaemia. The mean number of transfused red blood cells (RBCs) peaked, whereas the transfusion rate increased continuously. Multivariate regression analysis showed that increasing age, co-morbidities, and preoperative anaemia were independent risk factors for complications, longer hospital length of stay, in-hospital mortality, and the need for RBC transfusion. Conclusion Increasing age, co-morbidities, and preoperative anaemia are independent risk factors for complications, longer hospital length of stay, in-hospital mortality, and the need for RBC transfusion. Anaemia diagnosis and treatment should be established in all patients.

Background: Critical Care Providers (CCPs) experience situations that challenge their ethics and professional standards and may entail moral distress (MD). Aim: To analyze MD perceived by CCPs in intensive care units (ICUs) or emergency departments (EDs) and further clarify whether CCPs who rely on spiritual resources differ in their perception of MD from those who do not utilize these resources. Methods: A cross-sectional anonymous survey was administered using a modified version of the German language version of the Moral Distress Scale (MDS) with 2 × 12 items to assess the frequency and the respective perceived burden of specific situations by applying a 5-point Likert scale. Explorative factor analysis was performed and the sub-constructs of the respective items regarding MD frequency and burden were identified. Job burden and professional satisfaction were measured using visual analogue scales (VAS) and a four-point Likert scale, respectively. The 15-item SpREUK questionnaire was applied to measure spiritual attitudes and behaviours and to differentiate between religious and spiritual persons. Data from 385 German-speaking CCPs were included (55% physicians, 45% nurses). Results: Conflict situations are similar for physicians and nurses although they are perceived as more burdensome by nurses. Among physicians, the MDS factor Looking away/Resignation scores highest for assistant physician residents, whereas distress caused by looking away is more often perceived by specialist physicians without a managerial position. Work satisfaction is inversely associated with MD and emotional exhaustion is positively associated with it. Participants’ spirituality is marginally associated with MD. The best predictors of both MD frequency and burden are emotional exhaustion with further influences of work satisfaction, being a nurse, and being a non-believer on the frequency of MD perception. Being a nurse, participants’ experience in ICU/ED, and being of the male gender are further predictors of MD burden. Conclusions: MD is experienced differently by different groups of CCPs depending on their place in the hierarchy of responsibility. As MD perception is best predicted by emotional exhaustion, these situations should be avoided. Although some CCPs may rely on spiritual resources, all need individual and team support to cope with MD.

Despite numerous studies on the regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSOThe aim of the present study was therefore to identify possible patient-specific risk factors that enable prediction of CDE.Data were collected on 397 orthopedic patients undergoing shoulder surgery in the beach chair position. Routine anesthesia management and standard monitoring was used in all patients. Target value for the inspiratory oxygen concentration (FPatients with CDE (n = 238) were significantly more often classified as ASA 2 (p = 0.01) and RCRI 1 (p = 0.01), suffered more often from arterial hypertension (p = 0.01) and were older (median: 60 years compared to 55 years; p = 0.01) than patients without CDE (n = 159) in the beach chair position (Wilcoxon rank sum test). Arterial hypertension remained significant after removing the effect of age (p = 0.03) and RCRI classification (p = 0.04; two-way ANOVA multivariate analysis).On the basis of our study, patient-specific prognosis and risk factors for the occurrence of CDE, such as higher age, ASA 2 and RCRI 1 classification as well as pre-existing arterial hypertension could be determined. Arterial hypertension represents the main risk factor for the occurrence of CDE in the beach chair position. RCRI 1 classification or age, however, only has an effect on the occurrence of pathological rSOHINTERGRUND: Trotz zahlreicher Untersuchungen der zerebralen regionalen Sauerstoffsättigung (rSOZiel der vorliegenden Studie war es, neben einer Identifikation möglicher patientenspezifischer Risikofaktoren zum ersten Mal auch eine Gewichtung dieser durchzuführen.Insgesamt wurden 397 Patienten untersucht. Als CDE wurde eine Abnahme der rSOPatienten mit CDE (n = 238) waren signifikant häufiger als ASA 2 (p = 0,01) und RCRI 1 (p = 0,01) klassifiziert, litten häufiger unter einem arteriellen Hypertonus (p = 0,01) und waren älter (Median [Jahre]: 60 vs. 55; p = 0,01) als Patienten ohne CDE (n = 159) in Beach-chair-Position. Eine arterielle Hypertonie war jeweils nach Entfernen des Effekts des Alters (p = 0,03) und der RCRI-Klassifikation (p = 0,04) weiterhin signifikant.Höheres Alter, ASA 2, RCRI 1 und v. a. ein arterieller Hypertonus konnten als Risikofaktoren bestimmt werden, die es bereits präoperativ ermöglichen, Patienten zu identifizieren, die gegenüber dem intraoperativen Auftreten von CDE in Beach-chair-Position besonders gefährdet sind.

A universal, mobile protection system for work close to patients suffering from acute infectious diseases with aerosol formation has been developed. It is considered useful by the main medical disciplines involved in the treatment of CoVid patients. In those times, disposable protection gear is scarce, and the robust, reusable protection system might be helpful for medical personnel to work more safely in vulnerable situations.

Approximately one in three patients has untreated preoperative anaemia, which in turn is associated with an increased need for transfusion of allogenic red blood cell concentrates (RBC) and complications in the context of a surgical intervention. Here, the prevalence of preoperative and postoperative anaemia as well as their effects on transfusion rate, hospital length of stay and hospital mortality in primary hip and knee arthroplasty has been analysed.From January 2012 to September 2018, 378,069 adult inpatients from 13 German hospitals were analysed on the basis of an anonymized registry. Of these, n = 10,017 patients had a hip and knee joint primary arthroplasty. The primary endpoint was the incidence of preoperative anaemia, which was analysed by the first available preoperative haemoglobin value according to the WHO definition. Secondary endpoints included in-hospital length of stay, number of patients with red blood cell concentrate transfusion, incidence of hospital-acquired anaemia, number of deceased patients, and postoperative complications.The preoperative anaemia rate was 14.8% for elective knee joint arthroplasty, 22.9% for elective hip joint arthroplasty and 45.0% for duo-prosthesis implantation. Preoperative anaemia led to a significantly higher transfusion rate (knee: 8.3 vs. 1.8%; hip: 34.5 vs. 8.1%; duo-prosthesis: 42.3 vs. 17.4%), an increased red blood cell concentrate consumption (knee: 256 ± 107 vs. 29 ± 5 RBC/1000 patients; hip: 929 ± 60 vs. 190 ± 16 RBC/1000 patients; duo-prosthesis: 1411 ± 98 vs. 453 ± 42 RBC/1000 patients). Pre-operative anaemia was associated with prolonged hospital stay (12.0 [10.0; 17.0] d vs. 11.0 [9.0; 13.0] d; p 0.001) and increased mortality (5.5% [4.6 - 6.5%] vs. 0.9% [0.7 - 1.2%]; Fisher p 0.001) compared to non-anaemic patients. In patients aged 80 years and older, the incidence of preoperative anaemia and thus the transfusion rate was almost twice as high as in patients under 80 years of age.Preoperative anaemia is common in knee and hip primary arthroplasty and was associated with a relevant increase in red blood cell concentrate consumption. In the context of patient blood management, a relevant potential arises, especially in elective orthopaedic surgery, to better prepare elective patients, to avoid unnecessary transfusions and thus to conserve the valuable resource blood.Präoperativ liegt bei etwa jedem 3. Patienten eine nicht therapierte Anämie vor, die wiederum im Kontext eines chirurgischen Eingriffs mit einem erhöhten Transfusionsbedarf von allogenen Erythrozytenkonzentraten (EK) sowie Komplikationen einhergeht. In der vorliegenden Arbeit soll die Prävalenz einer prä- und postoperativen Anämie und deren Einfluss auf den Transfusionsbedarf von EK, Krankenhausverweildauer sowie Krankenhaussterblichkeit in der primären Hüft- und Kniegelenkendoprothetik analysiert werden.Basierend auf einem anonymisierten Register wurden von Januar 2012 bis September 2018 378 069 erwachsene stationäre Patienten aus 13 deutschen Krankenhäusern analysiert, von denen n = 10 017 Patienten eine Hüft- und Kniegelenkprimärimplantation hatten. Der primäre Endpunkt war die Inzidenz einer präoperativen Anämie, die über den 1. präoperativ verfügbaren Hämoglobinwert entsprechend der WHO-Definition analysiert wurde. Zu den sekundären Endpunkten zählte die Krankenhausverweildauer, Anzahl Patienten mit EK-Transfusion, Inzidenz einer postoperativen krankenhauserworbenen Anämie, Anzahl verstorbener Patienten sowie verschiedene postoperative Komplikationen.Die präoperative Anämierate betrug bei elektiver Kniegelenkendoprothetik 14,8%, bei elektiver Hüftgelenkendoprothetik 22,9% und bei Duokopfprothesenimplantation sogar 45,0%. Eine präoperative Anämie führte zu einer signifikant höheren EK-Transfusionsrate (Kniegelenkprothese: 8,3 vs. 1,8%; Hüftgelenksprothese: 34,5 vs. 8,1%; Duokopfprothese: 42,3 vs. 17,4%) sowie einem erhöhten EK-Verbrauch (Kniegelenk: 256 ± 107 vs. 29 ± 5 EK/1000 Patienten; Hüftgelenk: 929 ± 60 vs. 190 ± 16 EK/1000 Patienten; Duokopfprothese: 1411 ± 98 vs. 453 ± 42). Im Gesamtkollektiv war eine präoperative Anämie gegenüber nicht anämischen Patienten mit einer verlängerten Krankenhausverweildauer (12,0 [10,0; 17,0] d vs. 11,0 [9,0; 13,0] d; p 0,001) sowie einer erhöhten Sterblichkeit assoziiert (5,5% [4,6 – 6,5%] vs. 0,9% [0,7% – 1,2%]; Fisher p 0,001). Bei Patienten mit einem Alter von 80 Jahren und höher war die Inzidenz einer präoperativen Anämie und damit die Transfusionsrate nahezu doppelt so hoch wie bei den unter 80-Jährigen.Eine präoperative Anämie kommt bei Knie- und Hüftgelenkprimärimplantation häufig vor und ist mit einem relevant erhöhten EK-Verbrauch assoziiert. Vor diesem Hintergrund könnte sich in der Zukunft vor allem in der elektiven orthopädischen Chirurgie ein relevantes Potenzial ergeben, im Sinne von Patient Blood Management die elektiven Patienten besser vorzubereiten, um unnötige Transfusionen zu vermeiden und so die wertvolle Ressource Blut zu schonen.

Due to increasing demands for computing power by upcoming applications, such as autonomous driving or Car2x, more and more multi-core processors finding their way into electronic control units of the automotive domain. This leads to a paradigm shift from sequential to parallel processing, which creates many challenges in the development of safety-critical embedded multi-core systems.

BACKGROUND Intoxication with local anesthetics may induce cardiac arrhythmias by interaction with ion channels. Ropivacaine has been introduced into clinical anesthesia as a safer alternative to bupivacaine, which is associated with a relatively high risk of cardiac arrhythmias. Diverging safety profiles may result from differences in the mode of interaction with cardiac Na(+) channels. We conducted this study to test this hypothesis and to provide experimental basis for the ongoing discussion regarding the cardiotoxic profiles of these local anesthetics. METHODS The influence of bupivacaine and ropivacaine on the electrophysiological properties of Na(+) channels was investigated in human embryonic kidney-293 cells stably transfected with SCN5A channels cloned from the human heart using the patch-clamp technique in the outside-out configuration. RESULTS Open-channel block of SCN5A channels was concentration dependent, with bupivacaine being approximately 4.5-fold more potent than ropivacaine (IC50 = 69.5 ± 8.2 μM vs IC50 = 322.2 ± 29.9 μM). Both drugs influenced the voltage dependency of channel activation and steady-state inactivation by shifting the membrane potential of half-maximal activation/inactivation toward somewhat more negative membrane potentials. In their inactivated state, SCN5A channels were slightly more sensitive toward bupivacaine than toward ropivacaine (IC50 = 2.18 ± 0.16 μM vs IC50 = 2.73 ± 0.27 μM). Blockade of inactivated channels developed in a concentration-dependent manner, with comparable time constants for both drugs, whereas recovery from block was approximately 2-fold faster for ropivacaine than for bupivacaine. CONCLUSIONS Human cardiac Na(+) channels show state-dependent inhibition by ropivacaine, and the mode of interaction is comparable to that of bupivacaine. Therefore, modest differences in cardiotoxicity between these local anesthetic drugs are compatible with subtle differences in their interaction with human cardiac Na(+) channels.

Die Benchmarking-Studie OP-Personaleinsatzplanung (OP-PEP) referenziert auf den Prozess der Einsatzplanung fur Operationen und das Zusammenspiel der Berufsgruppen OP-Management, OP-Pflege, Anasthesie-Pflege, Arztlicher Dienst Anasthesie, die unterstutzenden Dienstleister Reinigung, Ver- und Entsorgung, Zentralsterilisationsversorgung, sowie die Arzte der operierenden Fachabteilungen. Der Personaleinsatzplanungsprozess wird aus Sicht eines Prozess-Benchmarkings, im Sinne eines Vergleiches von Produktivitat und Kosten der Einsatzplanung der „Hauptdienstleister“ OP-Pflege, Anasthesiepflege, Arztlicher Dienst Anasthesie und OP-Management, betrachtet. Die zweite Perspektive behandelt die Werte zur Zufriedenheit der einzelnen „Kunden“ im Personeinsatzplanungsprozess. Die dritte Perspektive zeigt die Auswirkungen der Planungsaktivitaten der Berufsgruppen auf den OP-Plan. Zusammenfassend werden die einzelnen Benchmarking-Perspektiven gegenubergestellt und ein Leitfaden fur die Betrachtung aus ganzheitlicher, wertschopfungsorientierter Sicht fur die Kliniken aufgezeigt. Neben den Handlungsempfehlungen der einzelnen Perspektiven werden mogliche Zusammenhange aus wertschopfungsorientierter Sicht analysiert und Potentiale bei der Personaleinsatzplanung gegeben.